Author: Crystal

Hi, I'm Crystal! Mother of 1 human, 3 cats, and a glorified housewife to a fantastic man. Let's have fun and enjoy life together!
Black-owned, Mommy Commentary

Gift Ideas? Support these Black-owned businesses!

Tis the season to blow money....fa la la la la la la la... With #blacklivesmatter being prominent this year and the protests have significantly slowed down, the support of the Black community is stronger than ever. It doesn't mean #blacklivesmatter was only a summer thing; it's everyday life. Here are some Black-owned brands I have personally patronized and can say it with my whole chest you need to support. Let's
Health, home decor

The Best Cheap Cleaning Solutions!

As with most of everyone, I've spent a lot more time cleaning this year. Disinfecting everything, cleaning things sometimes twice in a day, and making sure I stay sane through it all. Today, I want to share some of the products I've used to clean. I'll give you a hint - it's not Lysol. In fact, I've made my own Lysol before. Now, these products are readily available and
Mommy Commentary

Celebrating My Bae’s Birthdays!

Seven years ago, Bear was born a week before Maks's birthday. They never really celebrated their birthdays together but we've always honored them. I like to take the time to reflect on my family. I don't really speak on my family very much on the blog, but I'm so appreciative of them. This year has really taught me what is important and what isn't. Just being so close
Mommy Commentary

We Got a New Car!

I need to preface by saying we don't got it like that. Therefore, don't ask for money. Backstory: We had a leased 2017 Kia Sorento, fully-loaded. Y'all...I loved that car. Loved it, loved it, loved it. We wanted to buy it and were serious about purchasing it. When we inquired about it the first time, the sales people at a local Kia told us it wouldn't make sense from
Kids' Activities

Storytime with the Beverly Hills Public Library!

So, I might be a little bias in writing this post. Maks works for the City of Beverly Hills. Bear and I have frequented the library a lot when he was a baby and hopefully it'll be safe to go back at some point. But that's not the point of this post! They have a neat little story time program that's absolutely FREE to watch anywhere! Just click and
Crafts, Kids' Activities

Fall craft – Painting Pumpkins!

Can I just tell you how much I love Michael's? I just love everything about that store. I get my yarn, my crafts, and I spend a small fortune every time. So a while back, we painted fall pumpkins! This is just so simple to make! Here is what you need: Paint Wooden pumpkins Paintbrushes, tools, etc. Great music because you'll always need great music! Cost of said activity - it really depends
Health

My Comet and Toilet Bowl Cleaner Experiment

Now, it's not good to mix different brands and different types of cleaning solutions. For one, you never know how it's going to turn out. It might be harmless or you might blow up something. You also might die. Secondly, it's better to just have one product to clean your home, if possible. My go-to has always been Pine-Sol, but good luck trying to get some in this pandemic.
home decor

Get A Cinnamon Broom. It’ll change your life.

Every year, it seems all of the stores begin to sell cinnamon brooms during the fall. I get it. Cinnamon is a very popular scent (I personally like it more than pumpkin, but I digress) and it reminds everyone of that cozy feeling. And plus, who doesn't like the smell of cinnamon all of the time? When I smell cinnamon, I think of warm nights, snuggling underneath a blanket,
Mommy Commentary

#blackgirlgardens update!

I finally updated the YouTube channel. I keep saying I'm going to update it but I just need to find the time! I'm very time-poor. Anyway, enjoy! https://youtu.be/C0wJNtjpVNE
product reviews

Looking for a homemade kitschy ornament? Etsy is your bae.

My Christmas tree has never been traditional one color or another. Even when I went through my purple phase, I had silver, gold, white, and clear ornaments to offset all of the purple. Every year, I like to add a Christmas ornament to the tree that we didn't have before. Whether it's something funny, sentimental, or an inside joke, I just like having something there that represents a time